Thieves Tunnel Through Concrete, Steal $20 Million in Downtown LA Heist

A sophisticated burglary in downtown Los Angeles has raised security concerns throughout the region, including in nearby Inglewood, after thieves tunneled through concrete walls to steal up to $20 million in merchandise from a jewelry store.

The elaborate heist occurred around 9:30 p.m. Sunday at Love Jewels on Broadway in downtown LA’s jewelry district, approximately 8 miles from Inglewood’s city center. According to Officer David Cuellar with the Los Angeles Police Department, the burglars drilled through multiple levels of concrete from an adjacent property to access the store.

“They tunneled through multiple levels of concrete into the target location,” Cuellar said, describing a crime that local security experts note demonstrates planning and resources typically associated with organized crime groups that operate across the region.

The shop’s security systems were completely bypassed, with thieves cutting the feed to security cameras and entering in a way that prevented alarms from triggering. The break-in wasn’t discovered until store employees arrived for work Monday morning, finding overturned display cases, damaged safes, and a massive hole in the wall.

Initial police estimates suggest at least $10 million worth of items were stolen, though the store owner told reporters the loss was closer to $20 million in watches, gold chains, pendants, and other jewelry. Adding to the devastation, the business reportedly had no insurance coverage for the losses.

For Inglewood jewelry store owners and other retail businesses with valuable inventory, the incident serves as a sobering reminder about sophisticated criminal techniques that can bypass traditional security measures. Several Inglewood jewelers have reportedly begun reviewing their own security systems in response to the news.

The crime follows a pattern of high-value heists that have targeted businesses throughout the Los Angeles region in recent years. Local law enforcement agencies, including the Inglewood Police Department, routinely share intelligence about theft rings that operate across multiple jurisdictions.

LAPD investigators are currently examining the scene for fingerprints and DNA evidence. Security footage shows the suspects fleeing through the same hole they created and driving away in a late-model Chevy truck.

The Inglewood Times will follow up with local security experts about measures businesses can take to protect against such sophisticated break-ins.